


The High Cost of Dying

by cynatnite



Series: The High Cost of Living [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-06
Updated: 2014-02-06
Packaged: 2018-01-11 09:30:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1171466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cynatnite/pseuds/cynatnite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A tragic loss begins an investigation where Phil Coulson discovers the ugly truth behind his resurrection.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The High Cost of Dying

**Author's Note:**

> Sequel to The High Cost of Living

“Come on, Coulson,” Nick Fury said with furrowed brows. “Straighten your tie.”

“Sir, my tie is always straight.”

On the sidewalk of New York City, Nick stops Coulson and checks his tie. “Not as it should be.”

“Do you want me to impress her or her to impress me?”

“Yes,” Nick said. “You have no idea what it took to get back in her good graces and I won’t risk it even if it’s a crooked tie.”

Coulson nearly laughed. His boss and friend was worked up over a lady doctor. He couldn’t wait to meet her.

They approach the outdoor café and when Nick saw his girlfriend, he waved. The beautiful black woman returned it with a happy smile. As they approach, she pushed her long hair back.

“Baby, this is my good friend Phil Coulson.”

“It’s wonderful to meet you.” Meagan Michaels shook his hand. “Nick gushes about you.”

“Don’t tell him that. He might believe you,” Nick joked.

The waiter came over and set out the menus. After taking their drink orders, he left and after a few minutes of food discussion, Nick’s phone rang. After he answered it, he realized this was a call he couldn’t take in their presence.

“I’ll be right back.”

After he left, the waiter came over with the drinks.

Meagan used the small straw to mix hers a little more. “Nick says you both have known each other a long time.”

“Yes. We have quite a history.” Phil wondered how much she’d been told and chose to tread carefully. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him.”

“Nick tells me so little of what he does. I’m trying to accept not knowing everything.”

“It must be difficult.”

“I’m a doctor. We’re an insatiably curious lot, but Nick’s made it a little easier. I had called it off a while back over what I didn’t know and how it hurt me. You should’ve seen the lengths that man went to.”

“I can imagine,” Coulson answered.

“No, you can’t,” she laughed.

Phil did too and said, “You’re right, I can’t.”

“I was working late and he shows up with some maître de and a cd player. He sets out this romantic dinner. I’m telling him he’s crazy and I don’t want anything to do with him. Then he turns on the music.”

“It’s probably one of the worst 70’s songs ever.”

“Lou Rawls ‘You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine’.” Meagan laughed. “It was the craziest thing. He starts dancing towards me and the man is the worst dancer, but you can’t tell him that.”

“He hates the word ‘No’.” Phil turned more serious. “You’ve been good for him, Meagan.”

“It’s the same for me. I hope I’m making the right impression. There aren’t many people that Nick calls his friend.”

“I hope the feeling is mutual.”

“It is.”

They raised their glasses and tapped them together. Nick finally came back. “I have to go.”

“Oh, no!” Meagan said. “Phil and I were having a wonderful conversation about you.”

“Don’t tell her all my secrets, Coulson.”

“Only the good ones.” Phil had to remind himself not to say sir.

Nick leaned over and kissed Meagan. Just as he was straightening, Phil heard a swoosh and when he turned his head, he watched as Meagan’s headed whiplashed and then she was falling out of her seat.

Ignoring the screams of the people around him, he looked at her and then his eyes followed where it came from. Taking out his gun, Phil ran across the street to the building where he knew the bullet had come from. Using his instincts, he ran through an alley to the back of the building and found a rope hanging from a 4th story window. It was obvious the shooter was already gone.

Phil rushed back to the scene and stopped at the ugliness. Nick cradled Meagan in his arms. Her lifeless eyes stared straight ahead. Blood poured from the back of her head spreading around them.

When he looked at Nick, he saw horror and loss, but not a sound came from him. Hearing the sirens behind them, Coulson radioed SHIELD and made sure they would have jurisdiction over the crime scene.

He said nothing as he waited for the teams to arrive. Watching Nick Fury, it was obvious shock was setting in. Phil kept looking up and down the street. He needed to get Fury out of here.

Finally, SHIELD teams arrived. Coulson directed them to the building across the street and had the entire area cornered off. When it came time to see to Meagan’s body, no one would move. The larger than life Director of SHIELD sat on the ground with his hands around Meagan not paying mind to the blood that had soaked his clothes.

Coulson moved to him and leaned down. “Sir, you have to let her go.” Nothing. Phil put his weapon away and put his hands on Nick’s shoulders. “Nick, it’s time. Come on.”

Nick nearly couldn’t do it. He took a deep breath and adjusted his legs. Her body moved when he shifted. It was almost physically painful to lift her limp form. Death had claimed her.

Once Coulson got him to his feet, he motioned for one of the agents. “Get me a car now.”

“Yes, sir.”

A sedan was parked in front of the café and Coulson got him inside of it. He grabbed his phone and dialed May.

“There’s been a shooting and Director Fury was the target...yes, he’s physically fine. I need you to get the team together. Get over here and get to work. This is ours.”

After he gave the address, Coulson got in the car and sped away. In normal circumstances, all witnesses would be interviewed. That could not happen here. They were SHIELD agents and police interviews were specifically off limits unless approved by upper echelon supervisors.

It took 30 minutes to get to the private airstrip where the Bus sat. Taking Fury to the helicarrier was not an option. Having his people see their Director covered in blood and in a state of shock was not something that could happen.

He was relieved to see the team had already left. Phil parked the car and went to the passenger side he got Fury out. On their way to Coulson’s private quarters, he managed to snatch up a bottle of scotch. After seating Fury, Phil got a glass and poured a shot.

He held it out. “Drink it.”

Fury did as he was told. When he finished it, Coulson poured more into the glass. “Again.”

When he was done, Coulson set the items aside and in the small bathroom, he turned on a hot shower. He grabbed a t-shirt and pants, then went to Nick. He got him to his feet and took him to the bathroom. After removing his clothes, he got him inside and closed the door.

Coulson walked to his bed and sunk down on the edge of it. Fury would have time to decompress and get past the shock. He rubbed his eyes and the image of Meagan’s head whiplashing back and forth nearly sickened him. He grabbed the bottle and a glass.

After a few shots, he felt himself coming down from the adrenaline that had been pumping in him since it all began. It would still be a little while before he got word from the team.

The shower stopped and after a few minutes the door opened. Fury came out wearing the change of clothes Coulson had gotten him. “I didn’t make it to the toilet.”

“Sir?”

“I fucking puked all over the goddam floor, Coulson.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it.”

“Do we know anything yet?”

“I’m waiting for the team to check in.”

“You think it’s us?”

“I don’t know, but our presence alone…”

“How long have we been at this, Coulson?” Nick said raising his voice. “I’m not a goddamn FNG in the field! No one trails me!”

“Sir, they may not have been following you.”

Nick stilled. “You think they were after Meagan.”

“I don’t know. It’s possible they found out about you two and…”

“Goddamn it,” Fury interrupted. “Used her to get to me.” Nick sat in a nearby chair and rubbed his face. “Could you get my stuff from my pants?”

Coulson went to the bathroom. Ignoring the odor of vomit, he picked up Nick’s pants and searched the pockets. He found his wallet and SHIELD ID. Phil’s fingers brushed along something in the pants and when he pulled it out he had to blink back the tears. It was single solitaire diamond.

Phil handed the items over and he watched Nick closely inspect the ring. “You were going to marry her?”

“No,” Nick answered. His eyes never left it. “I wanted to, but I knew it was impossible. I bought the damn thing anyway. I don’t know why.”

Fury set the ring on the small table next to him. “Find out who did this, Coulson. Don’t let anyone stop you.”

“You have my word.”

~*~

Coulson hated it when Fury left the Bus, but he allowed it anyway. He instructed McNeil, Nick’s assistant, to take him straight home. Nick instructed a security team to guard the Director until instructed otherwise.

By the time he finished dealing with Director Fury, the team arrived at the Bus. They met in operations to go over what they knew.

May began. “Dr. Meagan Olive Michaels. She owned and operated the East Side Blood Center for 7 years. She went to City College of New York, graduated with top honors and then studied medicine at NYU. She had a short-lived outpatient clinic in the neighborhood where she was raised, but cost overruns drover her out of business. A year later, she got the financing for the Blood Center with lenders acting as a Board of Directors until the note was suddenly paid off some months ago giving her free and clear ownership.”

“Do we know who paid it off?” Coulson asked.

“It was a cash transaction.”

“Do you think she sold information about Director Fury?” Grant asked. “She tips off whomever to kill Fury and she’s caught in the crossfire.”

“No,” Coulson said. He still remembered her happiness and beautiful smile. “I don’t think so. She said that she ended the relationship because of what she didn’t know and how it hurt her.”

“Keeping secrets can hurt a relationship,” Skye offered.

“I don’t know,” Coulson replied. “The language is curious. May, dig into the blood bank’s records. See if anything unusual comes up and see if you can get a line on where that money came from.”

Grant pulled up a photo of the building which had hidden the assassin. “The shooter used the 4th floor office. It was closed for maintenance yesterday. I checked with the building and they’ve had ongoing electrical problems for the past month. They’re clean. The shooter left nothing behind.”

“Check the entrances,” Phil told him. “I think I saw a camera at one of them. We need to see the face of every person that entered and left that building before and after the shooting. Use our facial recognition software if you have to. Simmons, I need you to do the autopsy. Dr. Michael’s body is being taken to SHIELD HQ. We need to know what that weapon was. It wasn’t a standard rifle. It’s special.”

“Yes, sir,” Emma answered. “The bullet is likely lodged in the wall behind where she was sitting. We should be able to dig it out. I will need to know how to handle the disposition of…”

“I’ll have her family notified and let you know,” Coulson assured her.

“Fitz, your job is to track Dr. Michael’s movements for the past six months. Check her contacts, her apartment, and the blood bank. We need to know everything she did and who she saw. Coulson took a deep breath and looked at his team. “This is personal not only to me, but also to Director Fury. Any evidence you come up with is to come straight to me and no one else. The only ones you are to discuss this with are yourselves and me. Keep it away from anyone who is not directly involved. Am I clear? Meet back here in four hours.”

He got nods from the group and everyone went about their business. Phil turned to Skye and took her to his office.

“Nothing for me?”

“Far from it. You have the most important job of the team. Tracking Director’s Fury’s movements for the past six months is what you have to do. There will be no itineraries, no records of his movements. You will need to get creative to find out where he’s been going and who he has been seeing.”

“Coulson, how am I supposed to get something that doesn’t exist?”

“You’ll have to figure it out. Most importantly, no one can know you’re doing it.”

“The last time I hacked SHIELD…”

“Don’t get caught.”

“How is he? I mean, I don’t know him and I don’t have a right to ask.”

“He’s devastated.”

“Yeah, I guess I would be too if someone I cared about was shot in front of me like that.”

~*~

When Phil arrived at Nick’s penthouse, he found McNeil sitting at the table handling business. He looked over to see Fury nursing a drink in his hand and a large decanter on the table in front of him.

“How long as he been like that?”

“Since I got here,” McNeil answered without looking up from his computer tablet.

“And you let him?”

“Agent Coulson, my job is to assist the director in whatever he needs. I’m not his mother.”

Phil nearly strangled the man. McNeil’s penchant for fulfilling every need as an assistant did more harm than good at times.

“I need the Director’s comings and goings for the past 6 months.”

McNeil shook his head. “Even though I don’t get paid shit for this job, Agent Coulson, there is no amount of money on this planet that would get me to turn over anything that would compromise Director Fury’s trust in me.”

“Whoever killed Dr. Michaels may be trying to kill the Director.”

“Unless Director Fury orders me to do it, you won’t get a thing from me.”

“You can go home. Be back in the morning.”

“Fine.”

After he left, Coulson went to Nick. “Have you eaten?”

When no answer came, he took the bottle and carried to the bar. Phil headed to the kitchen and in short order heated soup from a can and made a cheese sandwich. He took the items to the living room and set them down.

“Eat, sir.”

Fury turned his head. “What do you think you’re doing, Coulson?”

“You haven’t eaten all day.”

“Are you ordering me?”

“Director, I have no doubt if the positions were reversed, you’d have me on my back and forcing food down my throat even if it meant me choking on it.”

Nick set his drink down. “I don’t know who you think you are...”

“I’m your friend.”

“You are at that, Coulson.” Nick scooted forward and set his drink down. He took a small bite of the sandwich and forced it down. “Anything yet?”

“It’s still early. There were security cameras at the building where the shooter was located. I’ve got Grant on it.” Phil turned to face Nick. “Sir, I need you to give McNeil permission to turn over your travel plans for the last 6 months. We may be able to trace the killer through your contacts and travels.”

“You can’t have it.”

“Even if it meant finding Meagan’s killer?”

“I trust you to find her murderer without it.”

“You’re not giving me a hell of a lot to work with, sir.”

“You’ve worked with less.”

When Fury finally went to bed, Coulson headed back to the Bus. He found his team waiting.

“Where are we?” Phil asked.

“I think we have a photo,” Grant said. He brought up a blurred image on the screen of a figure wearing a backpack. “I found two witnesses who saw someone fitting a similar description coming down the rope in the alley. He was the only one wearing a backpack right after the shooting. I think we might be able to get a face, but it’ll take some time for the computer to correlate it enough for facial recognition.”

“Simmons?”

“She suffered traumatic injury from the bullet leaving her body. We did retrieve the bullet and the 50 caliber bullet had etchings normally associated with a DSR-50.”

“Wow,” Grant said. “Our shooter has expensive tastes. Those things run upwards of $25 grand.”

“Possibly more,” Coulson told him. “Look at the backpack. If he managed to fit a DSR-50 in that thing, it’s specially designed. We’re looking at a professional killer. Someone who has been doing this a long time and is good at what he does.”

Fitz looked at the photograph and then to Coulson. “Do you think she was the target all along?”

“I don’t see how he could have missed,” Phil answered. “It’s a long range rifle and he was relatively close. Maybe Dr. Michaels’ had a wealthy enemy.”

“It’s possible,” Fitz said. “I examined her cellphone. There were no unusual calls, but I did find embedded software designed to record her conversations, copy texts and GPS routes. They were uploaded through an encrypted server using the cell towers. It will be extraordinarily difficult to trace it.”

“Do you know when the program was implanted?” May asked.

“The installation was likely in the last month,” Fitz answered. “Prior to that was a major software update.”

“There was nothing out of the ordinary at her blood bank. Financial and medical records were in excellent shape,” May said. “Unless you count the cash payout to the bank and an unusual number of destroyed units of blood.”

“Oh?” Phil asked.

“It wasn’t long after the battle of New York. The FDA asked for an explanation of over 200 units of A Positive blood that were arbitrarily destroyed. It’s unusual because that particular blood bank always had an exceptional record.”

“Did they have an explanation?”

“A malfunctioning refrigerator,” May answered.

“Why is that unusual?” Grant asked.

“Walk-in refrigerators at facilities like these are required to have backups or alternative holding locations,” Simmons explained. “They’re also fitted with alarms and should there be a failure, it’s immediately reported. I don’t understand how a facility with no history of negligence or maintenance issues would need to destroy so much blood especially so soon after the battle of New York.”

“What are you going to tell Director Fury?” Grant asked.

“Nothing for the time being. We need more information. I’m not going to tell him that the woman he loved may have been a mole unless we have absolute proof.” Nothing was adding up and there wasn’t anything that bothered Coulson more than nothing adding up.

“Where is Skye?” May asked.

“I’ve got her working on another end of this investigation.” Coulson started to leave and then turned. “May, was it only A Positive?”

“Yes.”

~*~

The following morning, Coulson called Nick’s penthouse and discovered that the Director had gone into the office. It made sense. Someone like Nick Fury would want to stay busy and for that, Phil was glad. Keeping him busy right now was the best option.

Coulson was finishing up his paperwork when Grant hurried into his office. “We’ve got him.”

They went to Ops and Grant brought up the photo. “His name is Bruno Cevasco. He has a current residence in Florence, Italy. Facial recognition found him when he got to JFK.”

“He’s not hiding himself very well,” Coulson observed.

“That’s because he had to change his M.O. for this hit. Everything we have about him to date suggests that he prefers to make his hits look like accidentals. Cutting brake lines, shorting out wiring, and anything else that he can come up with to make his hits look accidental. I’m guessing he staked out Dr. Michaels for some time and realized she wasn’t an easy hit for him. She doesn’t own a car. She walks most of the time. On occasion she takes a taxi and rarely uses the subway.”

“He couldn’t wait any longer,” Coulson theorized. “He rushed the hit and made massive mistakes. Do we know if he was the one that tagged her phone?”  
  
“Sir, I don’t think so. Cevasco usually watched his targets and got to know their habits. High tech was something he was not.”

“Where is he?”

“Going back to Italy to his alias.”

“Tell May to get us in the air and you find his alias,” Coulson ordered.

Coulson went to Skye’s bunk and leaned inside. “Anything?”

“Not much,” she said as she tapped the keys out of frustration. “I’ve been working backwards, but all I get is the occasional security camera that catches his face, a restaurant and a few acquaintances that I know he knows. It’s like a giant jigsaw puzzle and the pieces are so small that I can’t see a picture.”

“Have you tried everything?”

“Yes. I even tried tracking flight plans, but Director Fury is somehow able to mask himself the second he gets in the air. I need more time.”

“Try his assistant, Agent Ted McNeil. See if you can get a line on his movements.”

“Will do, boss.” Skye flashed him a grin and turned back to her work.

~*~

Once in Florence, Coulson and Ward were leaving the airport when they noticed a several Italian police cars just off the parking lot near a large trash bin. Several officers milled around while a small crowd gathered not far.

“Park there,” Coulson ordered. He buttoned his jacket as Ward did as instructed. “I’ll be right back.”

Ward observed Coulson making his way to the officers, showing a badge and talking to someone who appeared in charge. Coulson was guided to near the trash bin. Several minutes later, Coulson returned.

“It’s him, Bruno Cevasco,” Coulson told him.

“Are you sure?”

“He’s been identified as Aldo Reyes. His ID is definitely our shooter. He’s been dead for two days.”

“Whoever hired him must’ve taken him out as soon as he got here.”

“It’s a safe bet,” Coulson replied. “The DSR is gone. Until that weapon is accounted for and we find who murdered Cevasco, Director Fury is still at risk.”

“So what now?”

“They notified his wife over an hour ago. She has a small villa not far from here.”

“You think she knows something?”

“We’re running out of leads, Ward.”

It took little time to find the villa and Ward had parked in front. Wild flowers decorated the sidewalk. It was obvious that a few callers were paying their respects.

“I hate this,” Ward said. “She may not know anything.”

“We don’t have a choice.”

Coulson got out and Ward followed. They were halfway up the sidewalk when the door opened and a woman stepped out. She wore a faded apron with a towel stuck in the front ties. Her eyes showed the pain of her loss.

Rather than give the cover story, Coulson took a different route. “Signora Reyes, do you speak English?”

“Si,” she responded. Her face gave nothing away.

Coulson took out his badge and stepped forward. “Signora Reyes, my name is Agent Coulson. I represent an organization known as SHIELD.” Her face had a noticeable change at hearing the world. “You have heard of us.”

“I hear Aldo say the name, but I did not understand.”

“I am sorry for your loss, Signora, but we think your husband had some information about an investigation we are conducting. Did he say anything else to you that was unusual?”

“He spoke little other than he was a security expert who traveled. I hear him on the phone one time and very upset. I heard SHIELD, but I not understand.”

Coulson was disappointed and he nodded. “Thank you for your time, Signora. We are sorry for your loss.”

“Signor, Aldo was a good man, a good husband and father.” She twisted the towel in her hands as she spoke. “No one cannot say he was not. I will not hear that.”

“Signora,” Ward said. “Did someone tell you he wasn’t?”

“This woman came by last month and upset him so much. He raised his voice and yelled about this SHIELD. Aldo was afraid of her.”

“Why, Signora Reyes?” Phil asked.

“She spoke so kindly to me before Aldo come home and when he came, he became angry and told me to go in the house. She yelled. So disrespectful. I served her tea.”

“Did she give you a name, Signora?” Ward asked.

“Elizabeth Vine.”

On the way back to the Bus, Ward glanced at Coulson. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Elizabeth Vine, whoever she is, found out Cevasco was a paid hitter and she blackmailed him into killing Meagan.” Coulson rubbed his chin. “Her name has not come up in our investigation. What’s the connection?”

“Once we get back to the Bus we’ll find out. Director Fury should be pleased with our progress.”

~*~

Coulson went to his office and using his monitor contacted Nick for the call to update him. It was good to see his friend at his desk working.

“Sir, we’ve made good progress,” Coulson said. “We still have some loose ends to tie up and hopefully soon we will have the person who killed Meagan in custody as soon as background is complete.”

“Tell me.”

“We ID’d the shooter, one Bruno Cevasco. After some time, we tracked him to JFK where he booked a flight to Florence. Upon arriving, he’d already been killed two days ago and his body dumped behind a trash bin. We interviewed his wife and she indicated that she had heard of SHIELD through an argument she had partially overheard between Cevasco and a woman by the name of Elizabeth Vine. We’re tracking her whereabouts as we speak.”

Coulson studied Nick who had remained quiet. He could see that Fury had schooled his face as to not give anything away. One thing became obvious to Phil. Nick Fury was hiding something.

“Sir?”

“Good job, Agent Coulson. I’ll send a team to pick up Elizabeth Vine. Meagan’s family will be relieved.”

“Director, we’re not finished. The weapon used to murder Meagan is missing. It’s worth over $25,000. Until we recover it and find Elizabeth Vine, the danger is still there not just for you, but also for anyone else close to you.”

“Understood, Agent. Your job is finished. I expect you and your team in New York. Fury out.”

The screen went blank and Coulson sat for barely a moment before he jumped from his chair. He found Ward and Fitz in Ops. “Have you located Elizabeth Vine?”

“We think so,” Ward answered. “She landed at Heathrow under an assumed name several hours ago. I’ve got Fitz tracking her through facial recognition. London has more cameras than any country on the planet. It’s just a matter of time.”

Coulson grabbed his radio. “May, get us to London now.”

“Is something wrong?”

“Fury’s trying to wave me off the case. I think he’s going to make a move on Vine. We have to beat him there.”

“I’ll have her location long before we get there,” Fitz announced.

“I did find out some information that’s just strange,” Ward said. “We do strange, but this is really strange.”

“Go ahead.”

“Elizabeth Vine was a biochemist until 7 months ago when she quit her prestigious job at a private tech company in the Silicon Valley. She was making a high six figure salary and considered the top of her field. She graduated high school at 14, went to Stanford and completed MIT by the time she was 20 years old.”

“She has the technical knowledge to tap into Dr. Michaels’ phone and install that software,” Fitz told Coulson.

“What made her walk away form everything?” Coulson asked.

“The month before, her brother, who was also a noted doctor, was killed in an automobile accident in Minnesota after he took a position with the Mayo Clinic.”

“A car accident,” Phil said. “She finds out her brother was killed by Cevasco and then she blackmails him to murder Meagan.”

“Hence the strangeness,” Ward added.

Phil leaned on the counter and studied the photo of Elizabeth Vine. “The man who murdered her brother would be able to tell her who hired him in the first place. She could use him for retribution.”

“But how does Dr. Michaels’ tie into it?” Fitz asked.

Realization was beginning to settle onto Phil. His heart pounded and he prayed to be wrong. “This conversation is now classified Level 8. Don’t even discuss it amongst yourselves. Any information you discover related to the investigation remains within these walls and are my eyes only. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” Fitz and Ward answered.

Coulson wasn’t about to give them a chance to talk to him so he left them. He went to the cockpit.

“May, how soon until we get to London.”

“A few hours.”

“Fury is likely sending a team into London. We have to beat them to our prime suspect.”

“Do you think he’s pulling a little revenge of his own?” May asked.

“Unfortunately not. I think he’s trying to cover his tracks.”

~*~

As soon as the team landed in London, they split up in two separate vehicles with Ward and May in one and Coulson with Fitz in another.

They had narrowed Elizabeth Vince’s location to the east side of the city. Coulson hoped they had a leg up on the SHIELD agents they were trying to beat to her location.

“Over there!” Phil pointed down the street where he spotted a SHIELD vehicle. He grabbed his radio. “Ward, you and May get to the south side of that hostel.”

“She registered under an alias there,” Fitz told him.

Coulson took a side street and he caught site of a woman running with two agents on her heels. He accelerated and watched as she darted down an alley. When he saw her going up a ladder, Coulson put the brakes on and looked at Fitz.

“Tell Ward and May to keep those agents back.”

Phil hurried after her and once on top of the building he sprinted after her. When there was nowhere for her to go, he yelled, “Elizabeth!”

She turned. Her hair blew wildly in the wind and she had a furious look on her face. “You’re him.”

“You know me?”

“I know everything about you, Agent Coulson, you fucking bastard!”

“I don’t understand.”

“No, of course you don’t. You’ve been living in a world of evil and you were brought back by evil!”

Phil froze. “What do you know about that?”

She laughed wildly, her insanity rearing its head. “If you only knew, but I think you’ll find out soon enough. You don’t need me anymore and I’ll be dead soon anyway.”

“Wait! Please, stop,” Phil begged. “Why? Just tell me why?”

“He’ll be dead, too.”

It was at that moment Elizabeth Vine flung herself off the building. Phil ran to the edge and looked down. Her body had broken upon impact onto a car.

~*~

Phil Coulson sat at his desk refusing to let go of the memory of Elizabeth’s words. They echoed over and over. He had yet to report in to Fury and refused to answer his calls. He was treading on dangerous ground, but Phil knew the entire story was just under the surface.

May took a seat across from him and handed the file over. “This is the final report on Elizabeth Vine. A SHIELD team is closing the investigation and ruling it a suicide.”

“It’s not over,” Coulson said. “She said I didn’t need her anymore. What does that mean?”

“That she was done, maybe.”

“We still don’t have the gun.” Phil leaned back and debated on a drink. With the vast amount of traveling he’d been doing, he couldn’t tell if it was too early or too late for a stiff one. He stood. “I want to know about this brother of hers, May.”

Phil left her and found Skye in the SUV. He knew when she was onto something she would seek a quiet spot. He got inside.

“Anything yet?”

“Well, Director Fury travels a lot and he takes his assistant with him most of the time.”

“McNeil isn’t a part of a lot of highly classified meetings. He gets left behind at times.”

“I’ve managed to put some of Director Fury’s travels together by when McNeil stays home.”

“What did you find?”

“It’s been routine for the most part at least I think it was. Hard to tell with you spy types. His travel did uptick a lot in the month after New York.”

“There was a lot on his plate.”

“Must be because he went to San Paolo once and took several trips between New York, his helicarrier going back and forth to Dubai. I have no idea where he went after Dubai.”

“What do you mean?”

“The only reason why I know he traveled from Dubai was because I talked to one of the ground crew who said he and another guy were paid $100 a piece on two occasions to load beer coolers onto a private helicopter.”

“By Director Fury?”

“Yeah.”

Phil leaned his head into his hand. The more they learned, the more questions continued to rise. A knock at his window got his attention. He rolled it down and May handed him a file.

Coulson opened it and read through it as May spoke.

“Her brother was Alexander Vine, a highly respected neurosurgeon with specialties in nanotechnology and biochemistry. He publicized several popular papers in medical journals.”

“Why would anyone want to kill him?” Phil asked himself.

“It could be that someone at SHIELD was jealous,” May answered.

“What?”

“He went to medical school with Dr. Amanda Goodman, one our doctors.”

Phil flipped the pages and sure enough the proof was right before his eyes. “She was one of the doctors during my recovery.”

After Coulson got out of the car, he headed for his office with May following.

“You have to talk to Director Fury,” May told him. “He’s the only one who can fill in the gaps of what we don’t know.”

Coulson set the file down on his desk. “Meagan’s murderers are dead.”

“What about motive, Coulson? What about the gun?”

“I know the motive.” He turned to May. “This is classified Level 8, May. The case is over.”

“The case may be over, but not for you, is it?”

Phil went to the bar after she left the room and poured a double of scotch. He spent the remainder of the night sitting at his desk wondering what it was all for.

~*~

The following morning after the Bus landed in New York, Coulson decided that May was right. He went in search for Nick and was told that he was at the blood bank. When Phil found him, he was in the basement overseeing a new refrigerator and alarm system radically updating the previous old one. Four workmen were busy on the machine while techs tried to work about them. The noisy atmosphere wasn’t an ideal one.

“Coulson,” Nick said. “How the hell are you?”

“Fine, sir.” Phil got out of the way of the workers who were brushing past him. “I needed to talk to you.”

“What about?”

A door came open and two techs were carrying a large cooler down the stairs. “Out of the way!”

Phil moved and watched them set the cooler down. He looked at Fury. “Can we talk privately, sir?”

“What?”

A loud bang distracted Coulson and he looked over his shoulder. The lid from the cooler was removed and units of blood were taken out by the techs readying them for processing. It was as if the entire picture came together at that very moment.

“200 units,” Coulson whispered.

Phil heard Skye’s voice echoing ‘Dubai’ over and over. Visions of Tahiti floated in front of his face. Elizabeth Vine’s body hit the car with a sick thud and when Phil looked down, Meagan’s head was in Fury’s lap.

The entirety of their investigation formed into one seamless story that found its place in Coulson’s mind. Dizziness nearly overcame him and he grabbed the wall for support.

“Coulson, are you alright?” Fury asked.

Phil licked his dry lips and hurried out of the blood bank. He got to his car and sped as fast as he could towards the airstrip. Using speed dial, Coulson got May on the phone. “Have wheels up in ten minutes. We need a flight plan to Dubai right now. Don’t let anyone stop you, May. Not even Fury.”

~*~

When Coulson arrived, they took off and the plane headed away from the city.  He went to Ops where the team waited for him. He looked at each and every one of them trying to get his bearing.

“May, how long until we get to Dubai.”

“At this speed…3 maybe 4 hours top if no one slows us down.”

“Don’t let it,” Phil ordered. “Skye, get a hold of that ground crew member. Find out how long Fury’s helicopter flights out of Dubai took. Get as much as you can. I want to know where they landed.”

“Sir, is everything okay?” Simmons asked. The worry in her voice made him want to reach out for her hand to comfort her. He kept still.

“Simmons, I need details about Alexander Vine’s research before he was killed. I want his contacts the week before his death.”

“Ward, when we land your responsibility is to make sure that no other SHIELD agents, including Fury himself, are to set foot on this plane.”

“Sir?” Grant couldn’t believe his ears. “How do I keep them off?”

“Use your imagination, but don't let them on the Bus. Am I clear?”

“Yes, sir. On my life.”

“Fitz,” Coulson said. “Bring up a detailed map of the United Arab Emirates. I need the most recent Keyhole Satellite imagery.” He shook his head. “No, I need detailed satellite specs dated a month after the Battle for New York. Infrared if possible.”

“We need to narrow it down,” Fitz gently offered.

“Get your hands on what you can until Skye has a better idea of how far out of Dubai I’ll have to go.”

“Sir,” Grant said. “If you could tell us what you’re looking for…”

“I wish I could. Level 8 clearance. Dismissed.”

Everyone left but May. “What is this about, Phil?”

“What it was about from the beginning.” Phil felt so tired that he rested his hands on the table. “Me.”

~*~

Hours later, Phil Coulson was on a helicopter scoping the area. Using binoculars, he kept his focus on the sands below hoping to find something. A metallic object reflected the sun and Phil said, “May, 1600 about 2 kilometers.”

The helicopter veered in that direction and after discovering a small helipad, May landed it. She was about to get out when Coulson stopped her.

“Wait here.”

“Fine,” she replied in her most dissatisfied voice.

“It’ll be okay,” he assured her.

Coulson pulled out his gun as he approached the solitary building. He forced open the door and directly ahead was an elevator. At seeing no power, he turned to the door on his left and took the stairs.

As he headed down, he tried to wave away the dust. Limited light filtered through and the further down he went, the darker it got. Coulson took out his cellphone and using the flashlight app to light the way.

He stopped on the bottom level and flicked off his phone when he saw bright lights streaming through the split doors ahead of him. Phil held up his gun as he eased his way inside.

Standing in the corner was Director Nick Fury. “Thought you’d never show up." He kicked an empty box out of the way as he strolled towards Coulson. "I wanted to level the place, but the geologists said the instability would destabilize the entire region.”

Phil lowered his gun. “How’d you get here? I didn’t see a helicopter.”

“I instructed the pilot to take a lunch in Dubai before coming back to pick me up.”

After he slipped the weapon in its holster, Coulson said, “I remember this room. I had a sledgehammer put through my head to force me to remember what you did to me in this operating room.”

“I know that.”

“I remember the pain of what it felt like when that thing was tearing into my brain.” Phil saw a box in the corner and he went to it. He took off the lid and began sorting through the various papers. “Will this tell me about all the times you brought me back? Will it tell you how I begged to die over and over again?”

“It’ll tell you how we kept you alive,” Fury answered.

Coulson stopped at seeing Bruce Banner’s signature and his nanotechnology research. “Damn it. Dr. Banner?”

“I had his research stolen,” Fury admitted.

“That’s why you brought Alexander Vine on board. You knew you couldn’t have Banner down here. Then you had him killed.”

“What the hell do you want from me, Coulson? An apology?”

“Do you think that’s all you need to do? You killed, you stole and lied! How many lives did bringing me back cost, Fury?” Phil yelled. “Meagan is dead because of me!”

“No, because of me!” Nick argued. “I did what I had to do and there isn’t a damn thing either one of us can do to change it.”

“Yeah, there is.” Phil moved closer to Fury and reached inside of his pocket. He took out his SHIELD badge and held it for a moment. “I can’t be a part of anything that sanctions what you did.”

“Who said anyone did?”

“Fuck you.” Coulson dropped the badge and walked out of the room. He was done with SHIELD.

Coulson went outside and closed his eyes briefly as the hot wind and sand hit his face. A windstorm would be soon approaching. He had learned to predict it throughout his years with SHIELD.

At hearing Nick’s voice behind him, Phil turned. A gunshot rang out and he took his gun out as he dove for cover towards the small building. Fury wasn’t far from him and Coulson looked towards the helicopter that he and May used.

“Your action hero girl better be close by,” Fury told him.

“She is.”

More shots hit nearby and Phil scanned the horizon which was starting to blur with the approaching winds. “She’s trying to find the shooter.”

“Is it the second hitter?”

“Likely. Elizabeth Vine was determined to make you suffer before killing you. She hired two shooters. She put surveillance software in Meagan’s phone and used it to set her up so that she’d be killed in front of you. There was no turning back once she handed the DSR to the second assassin.”

“And then she threw herself off a fucking building,” Nick finished.

“We’re no good here. They’ve got a line of fire.”

“The way I see it, we’ve got one option.”

“What would that be?” Phil yelled over the wind.

“Bait!”

Before Coulson could respond, Fury pushed himself from the door and ran to the right of the helicopter firing his gun which provided enough cover for Phil and May to move forward.

“Goddamn it!” Phil cursed at seeing Fury go down.

When the shooter got to his feet to finish Fury off, Coulson and May took advantage and fired killing him. When they got to Fury he was getting up from the ground uninjured.

“Are you okay, sir?” May asked.

“Is he dead?” Fury asked as he got to his feet.

“Yes,” Coulson answered.

The three went to the body and studied it. “The DSR,” Coulson said as he took possession of the weapon. “Our second shooter.”

“Anyone recognize him?” Fury put his gun away.

“No.” Coulson started for the helicopter. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

As the group lifted off, Phil’s eyes never left the facility. Once at the airport, Coulson got on the Bus and holed up in his quarters for the duration of the trip. He was relieved that Fury opted not to ride back to the states with them.

~*~

Once the Bus landed in New York City, Coulson packed a bag and was one his way out when the team met him on the ramp. He stepped to Lola and put his bag in the back.

“I’ve arranged for you all to take a week off until SHIELD finds a new SO.”

“Well, I’m not staying,” Skye said as she folded her arms. “The only reason I joined the greatest show on Earth was because we got the center ring.”

Simmons said, “I have a standing offer at a prestigious university to head up a research department.”

Grant tilted his head and sighed. “I can get a job as a mall cop in Boise, ID.”

“You get the drift, right Coulson?” May said. “If you’re not with SHIELD, none of us are with SHIELD.”

“I appreciate what you’re trying to do,” Phil told them. “But I can’t…”

“You have a week, sir,” Fitz told him. “We all agreed that if you’re not back in one week we will seek out other employment opportunities.”

Phil smiled a little as he got in the corvette.

~*~

For the second day in a row, Phil drove to the cliff overlooking the city of New York. It was a secluded spot that he had found some months ago after coming back to work. It cleared his head and he could just gaze at the city without much thought.

The passenger door opened and Phil looked at Nick who slid in next to him.

“What are you doing here?”

Nick took Phil’s badge out and set it on the dash. “You forgot this in Dubai.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“I’m pretending you did. At least that’s what I tell people who see me carrying the damn thing around as if I’m waiting to get my ass pinned.”

“I’m not coming back. The costs have already been too high.”

“Don’t fucking talk to me about costs, Coulson! That’s my damn job!”

“Your job isn’t to use people until there’s nothing left of them so you can get the results you want!”

“I make decisions, Coulson. Ones that you can’t even comprehend in your little fucking corner of the universe. You know how I make the tough decisions? I go to my neighbor and I walk his fucking dog. I get this stupid ass cocker spaniel and I take the damn thing around Central Park letting it shit wherever it fucking wants. While I’m there, I look at lovers holding hands, joggers trying to get that last mile ran, kids running their parents ragged and people walking their damn dogs. That’s what I have to think of when I make the calls no one else can.”

“Is that what you did about me? Take a dog for a walk?”

“There was no decision-making as far as you're concerned, Coulson. Now, you can sit in your fucking car hating my guts and I don’t give a shit. Hate me all you want. Hell, I’m fucking thrilled as hell. You’ve got a team, a state of the art bird and you fly around the world fixing shit. No way will I ever be sorry for that.”

“Where does Meagan fit in all this, Nick? Will you ever be sorry for her?”

Nick slid his hand in his pocket and took out the ring. He held it front of Phil. “I keep this to remind me that she was the only good thing in my life. I miss her like hell, Coulson, but I go to sleep every night knowing what she’d say.”

Coulson watched him put the ring back in his pocket and get out of his car. When Fury was gone, Phil looked at sun beginning to lower in the skyline. He started his car needing more clarity.

~*~

When Coulson arrived at Stark Tower, he easily bypassed the security system and came through the door. He saw Tony pouring a drink.

“I don’t even know why anyone should bother having a security system when SHIELD agents are dropping by uninvited.” When Phil got to the bar, Tony slid the drink over. “Whiskey sour, if I remember.”

“Thank you.” Coulson took a sip.

“What brings you by?”

“You heard about Meagan?”

“Yes,” Tony said with a deep sigh. “We’re going to the service tomorrow morning.”

“Do you know why?”

“Fury was a target, I assume.”

“You’re assumption would be wrong. The sister of a dead scientist tracked Meagan and had her killed in front of him.”

“Damn,” Tony said. He stared into his glass.

“That’s not even the entire story,” Phil took a large drink. “I came here to ask you a question.”

“What would that be?”

“Remember when Fury threw that party months ago before I got my new assignment?”

“How could I forgot. Phil Coulson…zombie SHIELD agent.”

Phil wished he could laugh. He knew the Avengers would frown on the less than appropriate joke. “When I got here you could see the shock on almost everyone’s faces.”

“Almost?”

“Yes, there was one who had a completely different look.”

“What would that be?”

“Realization. No surprise whatsoever.” Coulson finished his drink. “How long did you know?”

“Honestly?” Tony asked. “I didn’t have a clue until you got here. The pieces came together as soon as I saw you. Fury bringing you back from the dead, not such a surprise.”

“What pieces?”

“$50 million dollars mysteriously disappearing out of SHIELD research funding, stolen gamma ray nanotechnology, and an operation called Doghouse without a scrap of paper pointing anyone to its direction.”

“People died, Tony. It wasn’t just because of me. It was because of him. He consciously made that decision knowing how high the costs were going to get.”

“Would he have still done it if he had known Meagan would die because of it?” Tony asked. “I think we both know the answer. It’s uncomfortable as hell to ask it, but you of all people know Fury lives in a far different world than the rest of us.”

“Making excuses for him, Tony?” Phil walked around the bar and poured another drink. He was seriously considering getting mind blowing drunk.

“God, no. I’m the first one that would hold that bastard accountable if I thought it was a damn good idea.”

“I don’t know why I even came over here.”

Tony motioned for Coulson. “Come over here.”

Phil followed him to the balcony overlooking the city. He was always taken aback by the beauty of the skyline.

“Fury brought Meagan here one time. For two reasons actually. He may not know it, but I can read him like a clock. One was because he wanted her to know what he was about without telling her what he was about. Of course, she was floored to meet Tony Stark, Iron Man extraordinaire.”

Coulson smiled a little. “And the second reason?”

“So she could see the world he wanted to save through his eyes. Fury would have you think that he has to work in the shadows, but that son of a bitch thrives in the light. He fucking loves it.”

“That’s a nice story, Tony, but nothing will ever justify what he did.”

“You are a judgmental bastard, Coulson.” Tony walked back to the bar and set his glass down. “Yes, he brought you back to life and people are dead. You may not believe this, Coulson, but you are worth a hundred people…a thousand.”

Phil shook his head.

“Don’t believe me?” Tony went to him. “Do you know what happens when you walk into a room, Coulson? Everyone in that room automatically wants to be better. They want to be better for you, but what you don’t see is that you make them want to be better not just for themselves, but for the world. You bring that out of everyone you come into contact with. I met your team. I thought Fitz was going to swoon. Simmons did, I think. What you don’t know, my friend, is that your entire team would walk through fire for you. Not just because of how much they care for you, but also because you bring the best of who they are to the surface. I’m not talking about their amazing gifts, but it’s that intangible goodness you are able to get them to give so freely and without reservation. Do you know how many people possess such a gift, Phil?”

“You think I’m worth all that?”

“Every one of us always did. When we thought you were dead, the loss was so profound that we nearly didn’t come out of it. Fury knew what you meant and why we had to fight. Not only that, Loki wasn’t getting a win in his column and Fury was right about that, too.”

Tony stepped closer. “One more thing, Coulson, before you keep blaming Fury for all the dead at the cost of you being alive…remember this.”

“What’s that?”

“If Fury had come to me about what he was doing, I would have led the fucking charge to move heaven and earth right alongside him to bring you back and the costs would never have been a consideration.”

~*~

The sun was rising high as the memorial services for Dr. Meagan Michaels began. Rows of seats were filled with loved ones, coworkers, friends and in the back stood a row of Avengers. Coulson moved past them to the middle row where Fury sat. He saw the diamond solitaire ring in Nick’s hand.

“Excuse me.”

Without looking up at him, Coulson watched Fury shift around so that he could slide in. He took the seat next to him and set his hand on Nick’s thigh. That was when Nick realized he was there.

Coulson leaned in close and whispered to Nick, “Thank you.”

 

END

**Author's Note:**

> 'The High Cost of Love' coming soon.


End file.
